Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

In providing identity management in distributed systems, it is known to provide a user with a single sign-on to accounts with different service providers with whom the user interacts by communicating with the service providers' computers. Such a single sign-on is provided by having the user authenticate himself to an identity provider computer, and thereafter relying on that identity provider computer to issue identity assertions on his behalf. An identity provider validation service is proposed with which service providers can interact on receiving an identity assertion on behalf of a user. This allows the service provider to rely only on the identity provider validation service rather than having to rely on the numerous identity providers who might issue identity assertion on behalf of one of their users. Furthermore, the identity assertions include a level of assurance indication, and the identity provider validation service indicates whether each identity provider can be trusted to properly issue an identity assertion claiming that level of assurance. This provides a more fine-grained and adaptable identity management than has hitherto been provided.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim